1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to firearms in general and to a singulating apparatus for a semiautomatic handgun in particular.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In semiautomatic handguns, such as the 0.45 shown and described in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,348, there is provided a movable member called a slide, a striker, a striker spring, a sear, a sear actuating member and a trigger.
In operation, with the hand gun cocked, as the trigger is pulled the sear actuating member is moved, moving the sear. When the sear is moved it releases the striker which is moved by the striker spring to contact and discharge a bullet from the barrel. After the sear releases the striker, it is returned to its initial or predischarge position by one or more springs to re-engage the striker.
When the bullet is discharged from the barrel, the slide recoils. As the slide recoils it engages the striker carrying the striker rearwardly against the force of the striker spring. After reaching its point of maximum recoil, the slide returns to its initial or predischarge position and the striker is moved into position to be engaged by the sear.
In practice, however, it is possible in prior known handguns for the sear to fail to engage the striker after one or more recoils, causing the handgun to repeatedly discharge a bullet therefrom and thereby unintentionally function as an automatic weapon. The reason for this occurring is possibly due to one or more factors including the weight and balance of the sear, the strength and elasticity of the sear springs and the speed of the striker.
Another problem found to exist in a handgun of the type described above is that it is subject to unintentionally discharging when dropped or struck with a sufficient force. This problem is also believed to be associated with the weight and balance of the sear and the strength and elasticity of the sear springs.